1. Developmental Psychopathology
Models
A developmental approach to psychopathology aims to advance our understanding of behavior and emotional problems in relation to developmental tasks and processes.
Therefore, assessment must take into account individual differences that occur within developmental periods and those that persist from one priod to another.
Distinguishing between patterns that persist versus those change is important.
However, different assessment procedures and sources may yield different results. So, it is of special importance to integrate variations in assessment data within and between developmental periods.

2. Causal Factors Necessary cause - must be present for disorder to occur
Sufficient - can be responsible alone
Contributing - not necessary or sufficient
Example: anxiety disorders and temperament

3. Causal Factors Direct cause Indirect Mediating factors
“Variable x” leads straight to outcome
Indirect
“Variable x” influences other variables that in turn lead to outcome
Mediating factors
Explain the relationship between variables
Moderating factors
Presence or absence of a factor influences the relationship between variables

4. Causal Factors Mediation
Peer rejection -> low self esteem -> depression
Moderation
Peer rejection -> depression
And self-esteem moderates this relation
Non-abusive harsh discipline -> externalizing behaviors
And culture moderates this relation

5. Pathways to Development

6. Developmental Psychopathology
Origins and developmental course of disordered behavior
Adaptation and success
Integration of theories

7. Continuity and Change
Expression of a disorder may or may not change over time
Homotypic
Stable symptoms
Heterotypic
Symptoms change with development

8. Description Anaclitic depression Preschool Elementary Adolescence
Listless, withdrawn, weepy
Preschool
Angry affect, apathy
Elementary
Agitation, somatic complaints
Adolescence
Affective lability, appearance, sensitivity, acting-out

9. Models of Development Riegel’s Scheme (1978):
Passive child – Passive environment
Proposed to explain memory, perception etc.
Passive child – Active environment
Active child – Passive environment
(when one attempts to help patients alter their behavior but discounts the role of environment)
Active child – Active environment
interactional model: goodness-of-fit, transactional model

10. The Interactional Model
Goodness-of-Fit Model
Psychopathology is the consequence of mismatch between trait and environment, not located somewhere.
Child traits  Environmental demand

11. Goodness-of-Fit Model
Lewis (1987) study:
Sex-role behavior in 2-3 years-old children (play) and mothers’ sex-role orientation were measured
School adjustment at age 6 was dependent upon goodness of fit

12. Temperament
constitutionally based individual differences in emotional, motor, and attentional reactivity and self-regulation”
constitution: biological make-up
interaction of heredity, maturation and experience
It refers to general disposition and overall behavioral style

13. Stability of Temperament
Relatively stable:
Stable individual differences appear to emerge very early in life
There are moderate levels of stability over time during the first year of life. Tend to increase as the child matures.

14. Temperament
Thomas and Chess (1977): elements in early years can be clustered in predictable ways
Easy: regularity of behavior, even-tempered, intense mood is rare, adaptable
Difficult: active, irritable and irregular in habits
Slow-to-warm-up: inactive, moody, mild negative response

15. Temperament
1. persistence (attention span): length of time child orients to and focuses on objects or events of interest
2. sociability (positive affect)-withdrawal: tendency to approach new people and situations and frequency of smiling, laughing
3. rhythmicity: regularity and predictability of the child’s usual pattern of activities and bodily functions
4. activity: amount of gross motor activity
5. reactivity (irritable distress/frustration/anger): readiness with which a child reacts to a particular stimulus or event. Fussiness and showing distress when desires are frustrated
6. fearfulness (fearful distress): wariness and distress, especially in new situations or in response to novel stimuli

16. Temperament How far are developmental outcomes environmentally driven?
Buss & Plomin (1984):
If temperament is in middle ranges, there is more room for environmental influence
If temperament is in extremes: temperament shapes subsequent context

17. Models
Child in environment that perpetuates maladaptive style
Experiential Canalization: genetic tendency is strengthened by subsequent transactions with environment:
shy child has few friends and learns social rules less, neglected or rejected
shows social inadequacy, isolation
companions/marriage  stabilisation
increased internalizing symptoms

18. Belsky (2005): “Differential susceptibility”
socialization experiences have a larger role in on developmental outcomes of children with extreme temperaments (especially negative emotionality)
because systems of children with extreme temperaments are more sensitive to all sorts of influence, they also benefit from positive parenting practices even more than their less sensitive counterparts

19. Stright et al. (2008) study:
quality of parenting (e.g., that allowed emotional support and autonomy) was measured via observation during infancy and early childhood
social competence (social skills, social interaction with peers and teachers) was measured via teacher-ratings at grade 1.
When parenting quality was low, children who had difficult temperament as infants had poorer social competence. However, when parenting quality was high, their social skills and interactions were better than those children with a less difficult temperament.

20. Gilissen et al. (2008) showed that
4- and 7-year old fearful Dutch children who did not have a secure relationship with mothers showed the highest levels of reactivity to fearful stimuli (fear-inducing film clips), and their fearful counterparts with more secure relationships displayed the lowest reactivity.

21. Implications of “Differential susceptibility”
Temperament, by itself, does not serve as a risk factor.
Indeed, characteristics that have long thought to be as “difficult” may help foster optimal development in the context of positive socialization.